Michael Returns
by LilianClassic
Summary: Kay's thoughts and feelings about when Michael comes back from his exile in Sicily, etc. Starts from when Michael goes and visits her at work when she's a school teacher and asks her to take him back. My first fanfic please comment :D
1. Chapter 1

Michael Returns

"Come on, Nancy-keep together everyone", Kay led a group of school children out of the schoolyard and onto the sidewalk, making sure no one was missing. She followed them to the side of the street corner and stopped the children so she could take a head count.

A few years ago she had taken up a job as a teacher after her long time boyfriend, Michael Corleone, mysteriously disappeared one day. At first Kay didn't think anything of Michael's sudden decision to stop calling or writing, his father had been sick after all. She assumed he was just busy looking after him; Michael was very close to his family, as most Italians were, and she understood his reasoning for being with his father. But after a few weeks of the treatment she became worried and a sudden feeling of dread crept into her mind. The thought of what Michael's family was.

Michael's family wasn't exactly your standard set of relatives. She didn't know much about them, but she knew they wielded lots of power in the world of politics and crime. Kay hated to think of the stories Michael had told her about exactly what the family dabbled in, but now that he was gone she had to reflect on it. She had the horrible suspicion that Michael was gone because of his family's so called "business", even though he told her that that was his family, not him.

Now looking back on her relationship with Michael, Kay was amazed she didn't ask more questions about his background. She remembered how surprised she was at the sight of his house and the sheer amount of people and expensive things there was at his sister's wedding. That was the day he told her for the first time one of the violent stories about his family and just exactly what kind of trade they were in. The first time he had really given her any details. Before the wedding all he told her was that his family wasn't exactly legitimate, but that they were good people and he intended never to get involved in the kind of work they did. That explanation worked for her then but now Kay was scared of what might have happened to Michael.

"My father made him an offer he couldn't refuse", she recalled Michael telling her, as they sat at a table all alone at the bridal party.

"Oh yeah, like what?" she giggled, paying only half attention to him, still amazed that Johnny Fontane had actually come to the wedding to sing.

"Luca Brasi held a gun to his head, and my father assured him that either his brains or his signature would be on the contract", Michael divulged rather calmly.

Kay stopped listening to the Johnny Fontane crooning out his song and gazed at Michael in bewilderment. She couldn't believe he was serious.

"True story", he added, taking a sip of the wine.

She managed to let the music flow into her ears once more, trying to forget what Michael had just told her. She loved him too much to let a story like that ruin her opinion of him.

Her gaze went back to Johnny belting out "I have but one heart" and the mob of young girls surrounding him with dreamy expressions on their faces. Some were even crying with joy. Kay brightened up a bit at the sight of the love struck teens, but her eyes fell on all the expressionless old men who looked like they had seen too much in their time. Is that how Michael would end up as well? She turned back to Michael to reassure him that he hadn't upset her, but he could tell she was now concerned.

He flickered a smile at her and slipped his hand over hers.

"That's my family, Kay, not me", he reassured her yet again, stroking his fingers on her hand now.

She smiled at him and dismissed the story from her mind.

That was a long time ago now. Nearly four years or so, and she hadn't seen Michael for at least three. The last time she had really spent any time with him at all was around Christmas time, after his father got shot. Kay evoked her mind back to the time when she and Michael were walking down the streets of New York, casually holding hands, carrying Christmas presents and laughing to each other when she spied the newspaper stand. On the front cover of the tabloid it said his father had been shot and was in critical condition, she stopped Michael when she read what it said. After that he left but she understood, she completely understood why he had to go. Not soon after Michael and Kay arranged a dinner, she thought it might cheer him up, but it didn't seem to go that way.

The whole time Michael seemed off in his own world, not paying attention to what Kay was telling him. Something seemed off, much more then just his father being sick, he seemed different. Almost like he was deep in thought over something the whole time, and not about what Kay had to say either. That night he left early and she was disappointed that he didn't stay and when Michael left he seeming rather concerned over everything in his life, even their relationship, which bothered her. After that they called each other a few times but then one day Michael was just gone, disappeared and no was giving her answers, though she knew someone had them.

Finally, after weeks of being ignored Kay couldn't stand it any longer, she went to Michael's parent's house looking for some answers. Tom Hagen met her at the gate, Michael's semi-adopted brother, and told her that they knew nothing.

"What do you mean you don't know where Michael is? Listen, I'm so worried about him I just want to know what happened to him, where he is. You can tell me, you can trust me. I'm just troubled about Michael", she pleaded to Tom, hoping her pained expression might break his silence.

Tom gave a sigh and his face showed that he didn't like what he was doing but he responded with, "I'm sorry, Kay, but we can't tell you anything about Michael right now".

"Alright, alright, I understand, you can't say anything. But won't you _please_ tell me where I can mail this letter, or could you mail it to him for me? I just want to make sure he's ok…I came all this way-", she was becoming desperate now.

"Sorry, Kay but that letter, if it was found, could be used in court proceedings to prove that the family had knowledge of his whereabouts. Believe me, he's ok, don't worry".

Her body slumped; she muttered a thank you and walked back to her car. She couldn't argue with them anymore, it was obvious no one was going to tell her anything about Michael. Kay got in, slammed the door and sat in silence looking over her letter then finally opening it. She re-read her desperate pleas for Michael to write her, call her, visit her, anything but ignore her. She read her statements of love to him, how she missed him, why he was doing this to her. Kay's hands began to shake, the letter became wrinkled and suddenly tears were dropping onto the page. The ink became splotted and she let out a sigh and ripped up the letter, her head falling onto the wheel and her anguished sobs going unheard to everyone but herself.

Kay tensed up whenever she thought about that day, but that was a long time ago and she had managed to numb herself to Michael's desertion. The fact was he wasn't coming back he made very clear to her, so she did the only thing she could do. Forget him. At first it was hard but a year or so after his vanishing act Kay had managed to stifle her thoughts about him and the rest was easy once that was done. She had even managed to go on a few more dates but nothing serious. She hated to admit it but Michael was still in the back of her mind whenever she went out for dinner with a man or let a man kiss her, but she dismissed these thoughts from her head as soon as they formed. She wasn't going to let Michael ruin her life, not anymore.

"Ryan", she called out. The little boy stepped out of the group and Kay smiled. "Okay, alright, looks like everyone's here. Okay, everyone look across the road before you cross it, remember?" She ushered the children to start walking across the street when a car door slamming caught her attention.

Kay turned to the noise and stopped dead in her tracks. Next to a shiny, black car stood Michael Corleone in a black coat and hat, a simple tie at his throat. He stood calmly; his dark eyes flickered when she looked straight at him. Michael looked the same as she had remembered him. Dark hair neatly combed back under his hat, big, dark eyes staring straight back into hers, sending a chill down her spine. Physically he was all there, the same build, he didn't seem to get anymore thin or fat while he was gone, but something about the look of his face seemed different. Almost as if he had endured things Kay could hardly imagine over the years he had been gone. His usual embarrassed smile was changed to a serious grimace and something about how he held himself was different from the old Michael she knew.

They stood there for a few seconds, watching each other, but to Kay it felt like hours. Seeing Michael was unbelievable, she thought it was a dream, or she was going crazy, anything then what she was really witnessing. After such a long time of him being gone, no word, no goodbye, no sign of where he went, she didn't know exactly how to react to Michael Corleone standing right in front of her.


	2. Chapter 2

"How long have you been back?" was all Kay could think to blurt out. She felt rather silly that that was the only thing that could come to her mind, but the initial shock of seeing him left her speechless.

Michael took a breath and thought a second; almost not realizing she'd said anything to him at all. His eyes searched her face and then he responded quietly with, "I've been back a year…longer then that, I think".

Kay stared at him a while longer then looked back towards the children crossing the street. She didn't know what to say. What was there to say? What did he expect her to say?

"I-Michael-I…wait a minute, okay? We can talk in a little while; I need to go sign out from work". Kay watched the kids disappear round the bend, going home to their families and loved ones. A twinge in her heart went off. Just what was Michael doing showing his face to her after such a long time?

She looked back and met his eyes. He gave her a smile and nodded his head silently. There was the Michael she knew. She ran off to the school quickly and felt Michael's gaze watching her as she did.

When she came back they went on a stroll with each other, at first the two were silent. They walked together alone down the streets of the local suburbs. The leaves were falling from the trees in beautiful golden colors and swirling around the streets in the cool breeze. It was such a beautiful time of year but Kay couldn't seem to enjoy it fully now that her frame of mind had been turned upside down by Michael's sudden reappearance into her life. Hands in her pockets she followed Michael's way up the street, stealing quick glances at him from time to time. She could tell he was doing the same thing. Kay nearly jumped when a little boy rode by on his bike ringing his bell and calling his dog who was only a couple fifty feet away.

"I'm working for my father now, Kay. He's been sick, very sick", Michael announced after watching the boy fly by on his bike.

This was the last thing she wanted to hear. She knew all along that he was gone because of his family and she knew it was his family who kept Michael's disappearance a secret. But she never really wanted to admit it to herself that that's why he had left. Because of some strange family business affairs. And now he was telling her that he was working for his father, becoming a greasy gangster all because his father. That wasn't Michael…at least not the Michael she knew. And as for his father being shot, Kay always wanted to know exactly why it happened in the first place. Had Michael's father been gunned down by another mob like the paper said? That she wasn't sure, but the story was making more and more sense to her now.

"But you're not like him, Michael. I thought you weren't going to become a man like your father. That's what you told me", she objected.

Michael shook his head slowly and replied, "My father's no different then any other powerful man. Any man who's responsible for other people. Like a senator or president".

Now Kay was the one shaking her head as Michael divulged his reasons to her. She looked into his dark eyes the whole time he was telling her his opinion, but when he said the president line she looked away, shocked that Michael could be so gullible to what his family was telling him.

"Do you know how naïve you sound?"

"Why?"

"Senators and presidents don't have men killed", she reasoned. Kay stopped in the middle of the street and looked into Michael's calm face as she told him that. She wanted to make sure that he got that he was being silly and ridiculous.

"Oh", he breathed.

Kay continued to look into his eyes as Michael raised his brow. He cocked his head to one side and gave her a look as if she was the immature one.

"Who's' being naïve, Kay?" was all he responded.

Her face fell. She broke the gaze and looked down at her shoes. Did Michael really have a point? She'd never really thought about it before, or never really chose to anyway. Perhaps he wasn't as naïve as he sounded; maybe she really was the one looking through life with rose colored glasses. Kay didn't want to believe him yet it was obvious it was true. How could a mafia family gain such connections and power if there weren't crocked politicians and law enforcement that were looking out for them? She suddenly felt very silly.

"Kay, my father's way of doing things is over, it's finished. Even he knows that. I mean in five years the Corleone family is going to be completely legitimate", Michael insisted. As he spoke Kay looked away, trying not to get caught up in his piercing gaze but he kept trying to have her look at him, so she could tell he was completely serious. When he read the expression of disbelief and worry on her face he gave a little sigh and Kay finally took a glance at him.

"Trust me, that's all I can tell you about my business".

Kay suddenly felt her lips quiver and her eyes started to water, adding a sort of glittery shine to them. If he came to play games with her then he should be ashamed of himself. What was he doing here? Why did he have to come bother her when she was finally forgetting everything about Michael Corleone?

"Kay…" he cooed when he saw fresh tears starting to well around her eyes, her lashes darting up and down in a feeble attempt to keep the tears away. She closed her eyes and sighed for a moment before deciding exactly what she should tell him. Michael looked at his feet, he felt terrible for causing her even more pain.

"Michael, why did you come here? Why? What do you want from me after all this time, you haven't even been calling or writing-" the words seemed to bubble from her lips. Kay couldn't help herself, after all this time of keeping her emotions bottled up over Michael; he should see how he'd tortured her.

"I came here because I need you, because I care for you", he interrupted trying to look into Kay's face which she kept lowering from his gaze.

"Please stop it, Michael-" a fresh tear fell down onto her cheek

"Because-I want you to marry me", he continued softly.

"It's too late, it's too late", she objected shaking her head and looking into Michael's big, dark eyes. She saw that he was serious.

"Please, Kay", he continued unvexed by her answer, "I'll do anything you ask, anything to make up for what's happened to us. Because that's important, Kay. Because what's important is that", he drew a breath, "-we have each other. That we have a life together. That we have children-our children. Kay, I need you…and I love you".

During his whole speech Kay couldn't believe her ears. Just what was Michael up to? Coming back and barging into her life like that, like he had never left? Like he had never hurt her. She sobbed a bit more when he brought up a life together, what she had always hoped for and then suddenly had to abandon. Kay brought her hand up to her face and cupped it over her eyes for a minute before giving a sigh. She slowly slid her hand down her face and wiped her nose on it for a moment then crossed her arms protectively around her abdomen.

"_Kay, I need you…and I love you"_, the words wrung through her mind like bells. How nice to finally hear that from Michael again after he had practically abandoned her for God knows what. But she must hold her ground, he had, after all, ignored her for four years. But…but then again she hadn't given him time to explain or even asked him directly why.

Michael turned back from her and looked around for a moment before signaling for the car to drive over and pick them up. Kay remained silent. When the car pulled in front of them he lay a soft hand on her shoulder and indicated she get in the car by using one of his gentle looks. She didn't budge. Michael stepped forward and opened the car door, waiting for her to get in.

No, Kay hadn't given him a chance to explain himself at all, and she was a fair person after all. Perhaps if she asked Michael just where and what he was doing then she could forget everything that had happened, or at least get some clarification on the last few years. And how nice if Michael had a valid excuse for leaving her all alone, though God knows what it would be. Kay looked over her shoulder towards Michael who stood holding the door open for her.

His lean frame was covered in beautifully tailored clothes; all his family had beautiful clothes, how nice to have such clothes if she married Michael. She froze. Clothes bought with tainted money from gambling and killing people, innocent or not. Kay's gaze focused on his slender face. Olive skin and big, dark, glossy eyes that seemed to show her almost the very soul of Michael. How she had missed him, but how could she accept such a dishonest life with him.

_I mean in five years the Corleone family will be completely legitimate". _His words came to her again. A promise was a promise in a family like his. Their words usually stood for something, didn't it? She remembered back to his sister's wedding when she asked where all the people where going. Half of them were asking his father a favor which he had to gratify on the day of his daughter's wedding, or so Michael explained. And it seemed that his father had indeed fulfilled their wishes or so Michael went on to explain. Yes, it was safe to bet Michael's promise was serious, that _he _was serious.

Kay still observed Michael. Everything about him seemed to signal gentle, sweet and kind, but now with some sort of new masculine appeal to them all. He had done some growing up while he was gone, she was sure of it, but for some reason it seemed appealing to Kay. And after all why was she trying to kid herself, she was still in love with Michael, she had always been in love with Michael, no matter what his family business was.

Michael saw the softness come back into Kay's face and a flicker of a smile flashed onto his lips. Kay walked toward the car and she felt Michael put his hand on her back to help her get in the vehicle.


	3. Chapter 3

The car started and they were off, the placid humming of the road under their tires, the occasional bounce that rocked the car, and the cookie cutter homes that were quickly flashing by. A home that she once considered herself in. A home she and Michael might share. One with white picket fences and green lawns, a two car garage if they were lucky. But now that had all changed. They'd be living in Michael's parents fancy house or one provided by them, probably much more different then the little cookie cutter she once dreamed of. Kay gave a sigh but then felt Michael's warm hand on hers.

"I'm glad you came with me-I hoped you would".

She turned to look at him and gave a weak smile.

"I missed you, Kay", he admitted.

The look on his face made Kay's heart ache. The sudden misery she had felt all those months came flooding back to her now and she was choking on words that didn't know how to come out of her mouth.

"I missed you too, Michael", she finally settled on.

He gave a faint smile at her comment but Kay continued, not wanting to stifle her questions any longer.

"I missed you so much I tried to write to you so many times. I called you, I looked for you but you were just gone, Michael, and no one was telling me what happened to you", she choked.

His eyes shone with something like pity.

"I even went as far as to ask your family where you were and they gave me the strangest answer", she looked at Michael to see what his reaction was. His face was blank. She waited for him to speak but nothing came out of his mouth so she continued.

"Tom Hagen came out to the gate and told me that he couldn't tell me anything about you. Nothing, I went all that way and he couldn't tell me one word about you. But the thing that really got me was that Tom said he couldn't even mail you my letter. One simple letter, just saying how much I missed you and needed you", Kay felt warm tears spilling down her cheeks again and Michael stared into his lap.

She sniffled then gave a sigh and continued. "He said he couldn't mail the letter because-because if they did it could be used in court proceedings to prove that the family had knowledge of _your_ whereabouts, Michael. The only thing they told me was that you were ok and not to worry. A lot of good that did, it made me worry even more".

Michael was rubbing his temple now and Kay watched him for a moment before deciding to keep pressing her case.

"For so long I couldn't eat or sleep without feeling sick, Michael. All I wanted to know was that you were alright, that you still loved me, that you hadn't left me all alone. I knew your family knew something and it hurt me that they didn't trust me enough to tell me-"

"It's not that, Kay-it's-it's just it was too dangerous for you to know. It was too dangerous for me to have you know", he interrupted, still rubbing his temple.

"What?"

"If you knew what had happened then…it wouldn't be good for either of us. My family was just trying to protect me…and you".

"Michael what is going on?"

"I can't tell you".

"You don't trust me?" Kay gasped, more tears welling up in her eyes.

"Of course I trust you, but it's all family business. I'm not to tell anyone of the family business who isn't directly involved.

"I'm not involved, Michael? How am I not involved now, Michael? For God sake's I'm your fiancé" she pouted.

"You don't understand, Kay. Not even my mother knows that goes on in the family business, you have to believe me; it was for your own good", he reassured her calmly.

"Ok, ok, I get it. You can't tell me why you left, I can only assume it was because of some sort of "family business", but can you at least tell me where you went?"

Michael stayed silent.

"I deserve to know something, Michael, at least admit that to yourself, please".

"I…"

Kay grabbed his hand and squeezed it, letting her tears fall onto his fist.

"Please, Michael", she begged.

"I can't, Kay, not now. All that you need to know is I went away because of some family business and now I'm back".

Her face fell and Michael looked over at her, concern shining through his eyes.

"It still wouldn't be safe if you knew anything, I don't want anyone coming to bother you about where I was or what happened to me. I care about you too much to put you in that spot, Kay. Please believe me that this is for your own good. I promise", he reassured her, squeezing her hand back, trying to get her to look at him.

"I just don't understand-"

"You don't want to understand, believe me. It's best for everyone if this stays hushed up. I don't even want to talk about it, Kay".

What could she do? Michael wasn't budging; he was never going to tell her. She should just get out of the car and leave now while she still could, before their relationship got much farther then it already had. But Kay couldn't bring herself to do it, not when Michael was sitting right next to her, holding her hand and reassuring her that he still cared. She was trapped now; she had set herself in a trap of her own making…

"I shouldn't have come with you. I shouldn't have gotten into the car, Michael. I just want to go home, take me home please and leave me alone", she blurted out.

Michael put his other arm around her should and drew her into a hug.

"Shush, Kay, you don't mean that", he patted her back.

"Please, Michael", she looked up at him, begging him with her eyes to let her go.

"Kay, I love you and I care about you. That's all that matters to me now, If you could overlook my family once you can do it again…for me, can't you? I told you all I could about it, Kay".

She was silent.

Michael sighed for a moment then insisted again, "I promise you, in five years my family will be completely legitimate, just like I said. I'm going to be the one making sure that happens, I've already starting putting together preparations on it. You have nothing to worry about".

"But Michael-"

"Please, Kay, nothing matters now. Nothing that's happened over the past four years matters at all now. And especially in five years, well, it'll all be irrelevant, you and I will forget that we were ever apart", he stated calmly.

That was hard for her to believe. She could never forget the past fours years now not while she suffered so slowly through them. She searched Michael's face again and gave a small irritated sigh.

"We're all allowed to have our secrets, Kay. You have yours and I-I have mine. Let's just leave it at that. All I want to think about is the future now, let's put the past behind us and move forward. It'll be better for everyone, Kay".

More like his family has secrets Kay scoffed in her mind.

"Michael, can't you just assure me that there's nothing to worry about _now_? If you tell me that then-then I suppose I'll have to forgive you".

"Have to?"

Kay raised her brow and replied coolly, "Oh, Michael. You know I love you, don't you? You must know?" she gave a little laugh. "It should be obvious since I got in the car with you. Please, just tell me honestly-is there really anything I have to worry about _now_?"

"No, Kay, there shouldn't be anything you have to worry about _now_. You won't be troubled about your safety or anything like that. The whole event is finished, it's over, no one will bother you about it at all", he replied earnestly.

Kay smiled at his misunderstanding and looked down into her lap.

"Michael, you don't seem to understand. I'm worried about _your_ welfare, not mine. Since you can't tell me anything about where you've been or why you had to go I'm left in the dark. I can be in the dark as long as you tell me there won't be anyone coming to harm _you_, anyone who-who wants to…" the word rested on her tongue for a second before she could say it, "kill you", Kay admitted.

Michael's gaze flickered. Of course Kay would be worried about him, not herself. That was Kay…that was his Kay. And she wasn't stupid either. Obviously she knew he was gone because of his something terrible he'd done…something terrible he'd done for his family. But Kay being good old Kay would forget that, all for him.

Michael touched her cheek with his hand; he could feel it warm and blush slightly. He smiled then slowly moved his fingers down to her chin and lifted it slightly, so he could look into her blue eyes.

"No, Kay".

And with that simple sentence Kay decided to take his advice and forget about his business. Why should she bother herself with it anyway? Michael would tell her if he was in any real danger and now-now she could focus on them again. Michael and Kay as a couple. She smiled at that thought.

"I love you, Michael", she gushed quietly.

"I love you too, Kay".

She closed her eyes as Michael leaned in to kiss her. When she felt his lips on hers again after so long, Kay knew that they were meant for each other. She was right all along, everyone else lacked what Michael had and now she was sure of it.

She opened her eyes when he stopped and Michael gave her a small smile. Then he asked quite coolly, "Now, where should we go to find a ring, Kay?"

* * *

**Thanks for reading, it was my first fanfic so I hope it was entertaining and true to the characters. I tried my best. If you liked this story please go to my profile and look at my other Godfather and Scarface stories, there will be more up soon so check them out! Please comment and tell me what you thought, thanks again :) **


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